ELIJAH’S FIGHT FOR JOY: GOD’S SPIRITUAL PATTERN 1 Kings 17

The Setting (1 Kings 17)  1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the L ORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”

The Setting (1 Kings 17)  1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the L ORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”

The Setting (1 Kings 17)  1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the L ORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” The Bad Guy

The Setting (1 Kings 17)  1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the L ORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” The Good Guy

The Setting (1 Kings 17)  1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the L ORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” The Good Guy James 5:16b-18 16b The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

God’s Spiritual Pattern Command 1

Command Promise 1 2

Command Promise OurFaith 1 2 3

Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness

Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.”

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.”

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” 4 “You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” 4 “You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the L ORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” 4 “You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the L ORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook

Lesson #1: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 2 And the word of the L ORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” 4 “You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the L ORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness

Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.”

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.” miles

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.” 9b “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.” 9b “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10a So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.” 9b “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10a So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks Plot Twist! 10b And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the L ORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”

Lesson #3: The Widow Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness

Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.”

Lesson #3: The Widow Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.” 14 “For thus says the L ORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the L ORD sends rain upon the earth.’”

Lesson #3: The Widow Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.” 14 “For thus says the L ORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the L ORD sends rain upon the earth.’” 15a And she went and did as Elijah said

Lesson #3: The Widow Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.” 14 “For thus says the L ORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the L ORD sends rain upon the earth.’” 15a And she went and did as Elijah said b And she and he and her household ate for many days.

Lesson #2: Elijah Command Promise OurFaith God’sFaithfulness 8 Then the word of the L ORD came to him, 9a “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.” 9b “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10a So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the L ORD that he spoke by Elijah.

Mid-Term Exam  17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed.

Mid-Term Exam  20 And he cried to the L ORD, “O L ORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the L ORD, “O L ORD my God, let this child's life come into him again.” 22 And the L ORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.”

Mid-Term Exam  24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the L ORD in your mouth is truth.”

We live in a microwave culture!

Lessons Learned 1. God will provide. 2. God will protect. 3. God cares about widows (outcasts). 4. God cares about the Nations. 5. God is superior to Baal. 6. God will use Elijah for His purposes. 7. God takes His time when developing His people.  God wants to teach you these same lessons!

What scary step of faith is God asking you to take?

Jesus grew thru this pattern!  Hebrews 4: Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus grew thru this pattern!  Hebrews 5:7-9 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…

Jesus grew thru this pattern!  Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Epic Battle at Mt. Carmel and Elijah’s Ensuing Spiritual Depression (1 Kings 18-19) Next Week:

1.Are you listening to the Word of God? 2.What command and promise is God putting before you now? 3.What scary step of faith is God asking you to take? 4.How have you experienced God’s faithfulness recently?